382:, Cyril Sheldon Allen, had spent the previous three days and nights reconnoitring the ground and marking routes with tape, and, during the attack, he led his tanks into action on foot. Fire from German pillboxes caused heavy casualties as they advanced through the muddy conditions of what had been the stream of the Polygonbeek. With the support of one of the tanks the pillboxes were captured and the higher ground overlooking the Reutel valley was reached by the supporting British infantry.
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641:"200195 Pte. C. S. Allen, Tank Corps (Doncaster). For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He twice marked out routes under heavy enemy barrages, though on the first occasion he was blown up and badly shaken. Later he accompanied the tanks into action on foot, showing magnificent courage and contempt of danger."
392:
For most conspicuous bravery in leading his Tanks in attack under heavy shell, machine-gun and rifle fire, over ground which had been heavily ploughed by shell fire. Captain
Robertson, knowing the risk of the Tanks missing the way, continued to lead them on foot, guiding them carefully and patiently
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in
Delgany Golf Club; he and his four brothers were founder members of the club and he won the Captain's Prize in the first year it was played for, in 1908
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and the Menin Road. The attack was supported by the four tanks of 12 Section, A Battalion, with
Robertson as section commander. Robertson and his
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was hit by a shell, which killed a sergeant and wounded two other crew. Although his tank was badly damaged, he brought it back to base.
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Private Allen, who had accompanied
Robertson on foot, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal; he was killed on 20 November 1917.
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This gallant officer was killed after his objective had been reached, but his skilful leading had already ensured successful action.
33:
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462:. The restaurant also produces a wine that commemorates him and his remarkable achievements on the battlefield named "Victory"
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to study engineering. After graduation in 1909, he went to Egypt to work as an engineer on a Nile irrigation project.
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on one of the panels on the walls of the entrance hall of the 1937 Reading Room, Front Square, Trinity
College Dublin
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towards their objective, although he must have known that his action would almost inevitably cost him his life.
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2nd
Lieutenant Clement Robertson, late R.W. Surrey R., Special Reserve (T./Lieutenant, A./Captain, Tank Corps).
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286:, South Africa, on 15 December 1890. His mother's family was from Ireland and Clement grew up in Delgany.
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237:, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to
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As he had not married, his VC was presented to his mother by
Brigadier General C. Williams CB at the
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Clement was the fourth son of Major John Albert
Robertson and Frances Octavia Caroline Robertson (
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bridge over
Reutelbeek upgraded to Memorial Status and named "Robertson's Bridge" in October 2017
704:"TMYS Robertson's bridge naming ceremony and Last Post (Frank Mahieu) - Zonnebeke - 04/10/2017"
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His utter disregard of danger and devotion to duty afford an example of outstanding valour.
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when the following deed took place for which he was awarded a
Victoria Cross.
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418:, in Plot III, Row F, Grave 7. His headstone bears the Latin inscription
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2017 in honour of Irish men who received the VC in the First World War
472:, Dublin; one of four Victoria Cross Commemorative Stones unveiled on
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Burials at Oxford Road Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
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725:"Irish dead of World War I and II honoured at Glasnevin Cemetery"
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His posthumous Victoria Cross was the first to be awarded to the
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he returned to England and on 8 October 1914, he enlisted in
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from June 1916 to February 1917, then to the Heavy Branch,
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South African World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
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People educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College
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Oxford Road Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
370:, Belgium, Robertson was involved in the attack by the
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His school Haileybury has "Born 15th November 1889"
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813:Irish World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
458:flag at Merlijn Restaurant at Reutel Crossroads,
808:British military personnel killed in World War I
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321:in January 1915. Robertson was attached to the
594:(Supplement). 14 December 1917. p. 13222.
803:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross
311:19th (Service) Battalion (2nd Public Schools)
8:
652:"Casualty Details: Allen, Cyril Sheldon"
639:(Supplement). 5 February 1918. p. 1726.
574:(Supplement). 15 January 1915. p. 492.
853:British expatriates in the Colony of Natal
670:Robertson Memorial, Delgany, Christ Church
229:(15 December 1890 â 4 October 1917) was a
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518:"Casualty Details: Clement Robertson"
319:The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
149:The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
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414:, 2 miles (3 kilometres) north-east of
823:Military personnel from County Wicklow
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858:Military personnel from KwaZulu-Natal
798:British Army personnel of World War I
261:
7:
422:; "glory is the reward of virtue".
351:in the Royal West Surrey Regiment,
347:He was 26 years old, and an acting
758:The Register of the Victoria Cross
656:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
522:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
16:South African-born British soldier
14:
441:parish church, Christ Church, at
410:He is "believed to be buried" at
793:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin
433:Robertson is also commemorated:
274:. His father, an officer in the
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123:
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833:Queen's Royal Regiment officers
606:"Captain Clement Robertson VC"
1:
329:(the Heavy Branch became the
293:(1904â1906) before attending
838:Royal Tank Regiment officers
828:People from Pietermaritzburg
687:Irish War Memorials Project
874:
766:VCs of the First World War
317:. He was commissioned in
282:when Clement was born at
30:
769:(Stephen Snelling, 1998)
359:, Tank Corps during the
266:Wynne), of Struan Hill,
233:-born, recipient of the
59:4 October 1917 (aged 26)
336:On 7 June 1917, at the
305:On the outbreak of the
180:Battle of Passchendaele
420:VIRTUTIS GLORIA MERCES
405:Royal Barracks, Dublin
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295:Trinity College Dublin
610:Queen's Royal Surreys
366:On 4 October 1917 at
361:Battle of Broodseinde
289:He went to school at
278:, was serving in the
185:Battle of Broodseinde
70:Passchendaele salient
761:(This England, 1997)
753:(David Harvey, 1999)
750:Monuments to Courage
536:"The Victoria Cross"
407:, on 27 March 1918.
385:The citation reads:
85:Oxford Road Cemetery
691:Irish War Memorials
674:Irish War Memorials
456:Royal Tank Regiment
731:. 11 November 2017
636:The London Gazette
591:The London Gazette
571:The London Gazette
470:Glasnevin Cemetery
338:Battle of Messines
291:Haileybury College
175:Battle of Messines
546:on 2 January 2018
439:Church of Ireland
327:Machine Gun Corps
222:Clement Robertson
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276:Royal Artillery
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372:21st Division
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733:. Retrieved
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613:. Retrieved
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548:. Retrieved
544:the original
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376:Polygon Wood
365:
353:British Army
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342:Mark IV tank
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243:Commonwealth
221:
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129:British Army
62:Polygon Wood
18:
788:1917 deaths
783:1890 births
729:The Journal
709:31 December
631:"No. 30512"
586:"No. 30433"
566:"No. 29041"
454:plaque and
357:A Battalion
165:World War I
66:Broodseinde
777:Categories
615:8 February
501:References
331:Tank Corps
256:Early life
250:Tank Corps
154:Tank Corps
152:(Attached
100:Allegiance
735:1 January
550:1 January
429:Memorials
368:Zonnebeke
460:Beselare
374:between
245:forces.
118:Service/
443:Delgany
437:in his
349:captain
268:Delgany
239:British
191:†
139:Captain
93:Belgium
74:Belgium
380:batman
340:, his
205:Awards
187:
120:branch
109:
80:Buried
481:Notes
416:Ypres
89:Ypres
737:2018
711:2017
617:2020
552:2018
241:and
161:Wars
145:Unit
135:Rank
56:Died
40:Born
689:,"
672:,"
468:at
333:).
270:in
263:nÊe
779::
727:.
654:.
633:.
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588:.
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509:^
313:,
252:.
226:VC
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48:,
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713:.
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685:"
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156:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
